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I’m going to generalize here, but I think gym rats (or would it be “box rats” now?) have an addiction to workout gear, clothes, tools, etc.

I say that because I can’t seem to stop buying new things to work oit in. I just decided to allocate a portion of my budget to gym gear because I KNOW that I’m going to come across a new top, capris, socks, gloves or whatever thay I “need”.

Don’t get me wrong, some items are necessary. My workout gloves are dying and I know it (multiple holes that can’t be patched or they will create calluses or blisters). My new weightlifting shoes (Oly classes on deck!) to keep my knees tracking properly and stabilize my feet/ankles; as my loads get heavier, stability is a must!

These items, as well as my future weight belt, knee gloves, etc., are just as essential as eating the right foods, or sleeping a full 8 hours (oh the joy!). You have to have the right tools inorder to take advantage of the benefits.

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Like sincerely, I HATE running. I don’t see a huge purpose to running around a block, multiple times for the sake of shin splits, blisters, sweating like a wildebeast and puffing like a broke down steam train attempting to get air into lungs that are working so hard that my tongue feels like cotton and my my throat the Sahara.

I hate it so much, that I do my best to never skip a WOD that incorporates it.

I can hear some of you now: “Why the hell do you purposely go to WODs that you hate?”

Answer (a la Plato..or was that Socrates?): How the hell do I expect to get better at my weakest event if I always skip it?

I won’t. So I go. Mostly because I know it will lead to more improvements.

Since joining my box, my loads have increased steadily and I have laserlike focus when it comes to listening to my coaches and processing th information for my individual needs. I know lifting is for me; hell I know it so much that I just spent over $200 bucks (of money I know damn well that I do NOT have) on some new Nike Romaleos 2 that finally got restocked in my size! I spent the money because I’m investing in the tools I know I’ll need to improve.

Sidebar: I’m so a Nike girl till the day I die…I can’t even consider Adidas or Reeboks without getting green around the gills…really it’s just my opinion.

I read about Olympic Weighlifting, I watch videos of Elizabeth Akinwale and Camille Leblanc Bazinet and track instagrams of (OMG) Diane Fu (@dianefu)and her clients (#fubarbell), I practice movements/mechanics in a fluffy towel in my bathroom, post shower, while talking to myself about what I did right and what I did wrong during strength training. #noshame

If I had a choice between lifting or running or doing a WOD, I’d lift.

However with all that said, I will never get better at Olys, if I ignore the other side of strength: endurance.

My endurance, in a word, sucks.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than it was when I started CF six months ago (a few times I came close to having a pukie moment), but that’s primarily because I force myself to do those 25 or 30 min conditioning metcons..rows, interval runs, even freaking tabatas (20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, for four minutes equals 8 rounds of hellfire!).

I’ll never do marathons (mostly because they don’t interest me, but also because I’m a lifter, not a runner!) Those conditioning met-cons all contributed to my current ability to run two full blocks without stopping [at all], row 500 meters in 2.5 minutes and sign up for my first ever 5K and not think that I’m going to die in the first mile.

My coach Splinter, who laughs in my face everytime he sees me at a conditioning WOD, because he knows I hate running (might be the upset/crunk look on my face causing him to crack up lol), said I’m doing good…going after the things that I hate vs. relying on my strengths. I’m becoming a better all-around athelete, which then contributes to getting better at my lifts.

I’m happy to say that I WOD what I hate…and I’m proud of myself for facing my fears, my hangups about running and just going after it as much as I can; setting goals and attaining them.

If I can do it in CrossFit, I can do it in my job, my career aspirations, my relationships, my entire life.

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